Hinge.



A. N. THOMAS.

HINGE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 3, 1909.

Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

Wyn E8828 ARVINE N. THOMAS, OF CANTON, OHIO.

HINGE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARVINE N. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Hinge, of which the following is aspecification.

In safe deposit vaults, fire proof filing cabinets and the like it iscustomary to provide individually removable boxes adapted to contain thepapers or other articles of value deposited or filed. The constructionof the individual boxes, as well as their arrangement within such vaultsor cabinets, is of much importance in order that a number of such boxesmay require a relatively small amount of space, while affordingopportunity for convenient and ready access to any one of the individualboxes. Pigeonholes or compartments into which the individual boxes areadapted to neatly enter are usually provided and it is desirable thatthe bottoms, tops and sides of the boxes be so constructed as to presenteven surfaces adapted to lie closely adjacent the walls of suchpigeonholes or compartments and to permit the boxes to be readily withdrawn therefrom when occasion demands. The boxes mentioned arepreferably con structed of sheet-metal, and finished with enamel orjapan. The tops of such boxes are usually formed of two parts, astationary part and a. hinged or lid part adapted to be opened andturned back over the stationary part of the top to permit access to theinterior of the box the construction being such that when the said lidis brought forward and downward into the closed position no part of thehinge will extend above the general surface of the top.

My invention relates to improvements in boxes of the character mentionedand has special reference to the hinge for connecting the lid to thestationary portion of the top; and the objects of my improvement are toprovide a neat, stron cheaply constructed hinge no part of which willextend above the upper surface of the top when the lid is closed, whichwill permit the lid to be turned backwardly over the stationary portionof the top without possibility of injuring the enamel or finish on theparts of the top adjacent the said hinge and which will assist inalining the stationary and lidportions when the lid is closed. I attainthese objects together with other objects apparent Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed May 3, 1909.

Patented J an. 18, 1910.

Serial No. 493,622.

to those skilled in the art by the construction illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the boxshowing the lid opened and overlying the stationary portion of the top.Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through thestationary and lid portions of the top in the same relative position asin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the box,the lid being closed. Fig. 4; is a transverse section taken on the lineH of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view partly in sectionillustrating the position of the parts when the lid is partially opened.Fig. 6 is a view of the under side of the top, the parts being in theposition assumed when the lid is closed. Fig. 7 is a detachedperspective view of the pintles of the hinge.

Throughout the several views similar numerals of reference indicatessimilar parts.

The numeral 1 indicates the bottom of the box, 2 the sides and 8 theends. The upper free edges of the sides 2, and the upper free edge ofone of the ends are preferably provided with the roll or bead 4, thesame constituting a desirable finish for said edges. The stationaryportion 5 of the top is arranged upon and attached to the sides and end'of the box at the rear thereof, the end of said box where saidstationary portion is attached being intended to be inserted first intothe pigeonhole or compartment, and a handle or pull 6 being arrangedupon the front end of the box to provide convenient means forwithdrawing the box from said pigeonhole or compartment. The saidstationary portion 5 extends forwardly to the point 7 where a transverseroll or bead may be arranged, lying wholly below the top surface of theportion 5, which constitutes the forward free edge of the stationaryportion.

The lid 8 is of appropriate length to extend from the forward edge ofthe portion 5 to the front end of the box and is adapted when in theclosed position, to rest upon the bead or roll a on the sides and frontend, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4:. At the rear edge of the lid 8 isarranged a transverse knuckle 9 preferably formed integrally with thelid 8 by forming a hollow roll or barrel therefrom on the under side ofthe rear edge mentioned. position the said knuckle is adapted to liecontiguous to the bead on the front edge of When the lid is in theclosed l the stationary portion 5, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Some methodof reinforcing the lid 8 and finishing the edges thereof may beprovided, such as the ribs 10 formed integrally with the lid andextending along the under side of the sides and front end thereof.

It should be noted that the head on the front edge of the stationaryportion 5 does not extend entirely to the sides of the box butterminates a short distance from said sides, leaving a space for theaccommodation of a portion of the pintles of the hinge as hereinafterwill appear. The knuckle 9 likewise does not extend entirely to thesides of the box but terminates at the points 11 in line with the endsof the bead on the stationary portion' 5.

Arranged on the under side of the portion 5 and to the rear of the headon the front edge of said portion are the stationary knuckles 12, whichconsist preferably of hollow cylinders or tubes soldered or otherwiseattached to the portion 5 and having a common axis arranged parallelwith the axis of the bead at the forward edge of said portion 5. From aninspection of Fig. 6 it will be noted that the outer ends of theknuckles 12 are alined with the ends of the knuckle 9, the knuckle 9 andthe knuckles 12 being intended to be connected by appropriately arrangedpintles to constitute the hinge. ll hile the pintles might well beformed of a single piece of wire or other suitable material, yet it ispreferable to form them in two sections, as illustrated in Fig. 7, as toso form them facilitates the construction and simplifies the operationof assembling the various parts. Each pintle section comprises aplurality of integral parts variously dis posed and adapted fordifferent purposes. The part 13 is transversely disposed and adapted tobe journaled in one of the knuckles 12. The part 14 extends downwardlyand substantially at right angles to the part 13. The part 15 extendsforwardly from the part 14 and substantially at right angles to theparts 13 and 14. At a point a short distance in front of the verticalplane passing through the knuckle 9 the part 15 merges in the curvedportion 16, lying in a plane passing through the port-ions 1 1 and 15and extending upwardly to a height equal to the height of the portion1%, from which point the part 17 extends rearwardly to a point oppositethe end of the knuckle 9, whence the part 18, lying parallel with thepart 13 extends transversely and is adapted to be journaled in the saidknuckle 9. The arrangement of the two pintle sections with reference tothe other parts is well illustrated in Fig. 6, the parts journaled inthe knuckles being shown in dotted lines.

It will be noted that the part 13 is spaced from the part 18 asutlicient distance to permit the head at 7 to lie between the knuckles12 and 9 to fill the space between said knuckles when the lid is in theclosed posi tion illustrated in Fig. 3. It should also be noted that thepart 1 1 is sufficiently long to permit the part 15 to be turnedupwardly into the vertical position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, thepart 1st being accommodated, when the pintles are in such position bythe hereinbefore mentioned spaces between the outer ends of the roll at7 and the sides of the box. It should also be noted that the part 17,when the lid is closed, lies adjacent the under surface of said lid.

A box provided with a hinge of the character herein described havingbeen provided the operation of the said hinge is as follows. Assumingthat the various parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, let itbe supposed that the box is opened by lifting the front edge of the lid8 upwardly and swinging it backward upon its hinge connection. Upon theinitial movement of the lid 8 as just described the parts 13 of thepintles will be rotated within the knuckles 12, carrying the knuckle 9upwardly and backwardly and out of engagement with the roll at 7. Theparts 13 will continue to revolve within the knuckles 12 until thepintles have assumed the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Beforesuch position has been assumed, however, in the normal operation of thedevice, the knuckle 9 will begin to rotate about the parts 18, so thatwhen the lid 8 is in the verti V cal position illustrated in Fig. 5 therelative position of the parts will be as there shown. By thecontinuation of the backward movement of the lid, however, the positionillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 will be attained as iereinbefore stated,the knuckle 9 being held in elevated spaced relation with reference tothe roll at 7 and the lid resting upon the rear edge of the stationaryportion 5. Assuming the parts to be in the position illustrated in Figs.1 and 2, let it be supposed that it is desired to close the box. The lid8 should be lifted and swung forward upon its hinged connection. Duringthe closing movement of the lid 8, as the said lid nears the verticalposition the parts 18 will be rotated within the knuckle 9, until theposition illustrated in Fig. 5 is again assumed, when a still furtherforward. movement of the said lid will bring the under surface of thesame into ongagement with the parts 17 thereby carrying the pintles withthe lid 8 in its further throw the hinge edge of the lid out ofengagement with the forward free edge of the stationary portion 5 as thelid is opened, and also that in the closing of the lid the parts 17 willinsure the proper return of the various parts into the closed positionshown in Fig. 3 by reason of their engagement with the under side of thelid.

Attention should be directed to the fact that when the stationary andlid portions of the top are in the closed position illustrated in Fig. 3the bead at 7 and the knuckle 9 are in engagement, thus thoroughlyexcluding the dust. and providing a most satisfactory and perfectfitting joint.

I claim:

1. A hinge for the stationary portion and lid of the box top, comprisingknuckles arranged upon the under side of said stationary portion andsaid lid respectively, spaced pintles journaled in said knuckles,connecting means between said pintles, the knuckle on said stationaryportion and said lid being held in spaced relation with reference toeach other, and said stationary portion extended beyond the knucklethereon, the extended portion adapted to lie between said spacedknuckles when the lid is closed.

2. A hinge for the top of a box comprising, in combination with thestationary and lid portions of the top, knuckles arranged on thestationary portion and on the lid respectively, spaced pintles journaledin said knuckles, connecting means between said pintles, said pintles sospaced from each other that the said knuckles will be held apart fromeach other when the lid is closed, and an extension of said stationaryportion adapted to lie between said knuckles when the lid is in theclosed position.

3. A hinge for the stationary and lid portions of a box top, comprisingknuckles arranged upon the mutually adjacent edges of the two portions,spaced pintles journaled in said knuckles, means for connecting saidpintles to each other, said pintles so spaced as to space said knucklesfrom each other when the lid portion is closed, and one of the portionsof said top provided with an extension adapted to lie intermediate thesaid knuckles when the lid portion is in the closed position.

at. A hinge comprising, in combination with the stationary and lidportions of a box top, knuckles arranged upon said portions, the knuckleon one portion located at the extreme edge thereof, the knuckle on theother portion located back from the extreme edge thereof on the underside of said portion aydistance from the said extreme edge greater thanthe distance from said knuckle to the top surface of said portion, andconnected spaced pintles journaled in said knuckles and adapted, whenthe lid is in the closed position, to abut the knuckle on the extremeedge of the one portion against the extreme edge of the other portion.

5. A hinge for a box top comprising a stationary portion of said topprovided at the hinge edge with a roll, a knuckle connected to saidstationary portion on the under side thereof and back of said roll, alid provided with a knuckle at the extreme hinge edgethereof, and spacedconnected pintles arranged in said knuckles adapted to hold the saidknuckles in spaced relation when said lid is in the closed position, theroll on the hinge edge of said stationary portion being adapted to lieintermediate the knuckles on the lid and stationary portionsrespectively when the lid is in the said closed position.

6. A hinge for a box top comprising a. stationary top portion having afree hinge edge and an upper surface, a knuckle arranged upon andconnected to the under side of said stationary portion, the axis of saidknuckle being located back from the free edge of said portion a distancegreater than the distance from said axis to the top surface of saidstationary portion, a lid proi vided at one of its edges with a knuckle,and

spaced connected pintles journaled in said knuckles and adapted, whensaid lid and stationary portion are lying substantially in the sameplane, to hold the knuckle on said lid contiguous to the said free edgeof the stationary portion.

7. A hinge for a box top comprising two portions of said top adapted tobe hinged to each other and having mutually abutting edges, a knucklearranged upon and connected to the under side of one of said portions,the axis of said knuckle being located back from the abutting edge ofsaid portion a distance greater than the distance from said axis to thetop surface of said portion, the other portion provided at its abuttingedge with a knuckle, and spaced connected pintles journaled in saidknuckles and adapted, when the two portions of said top liesubstantially in the same plane, to hold the mutually abutting edges ofsaid portions in contiguous relation.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

ARVINE N. THOMAS.

W'itnesses SYLVIA Boron, WILLIAM H. MILLER.

